Local Business Owner Receives Safety Award, Contractor of the Year finalist honors

Owner of Helena, Mont.-based construction firm honored for safety record, business achievements at 2009 Contractor of the Year event.

LAS VEGAS, March 2009 … Bill Pierce, owner of Pierce & Associates Builders, based in Helena, Mont., was honored as a Contractor of the Year finalist, and received the first-ever Contractor of the Year Safety Award from construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. during a recent event in Las Vegas.

Pierce was among 12 national finalists for Contractor of the Year 2009, sponsored by Caterpillar and leading trade magazine Equipment World. He received the safety award from Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, during an industry roundtable at the event.

In consideration for the safety award, Contractor of the Year finalists were judged by their firm’s lost time incident rate, experience mod factor, accountability, engagement, support and reinforcement, as well as safety-related contributions to the construction industry.

In addition to having no reportable injuries in the past year and a below-average experience mod factor, Pierce has been extensively involved in making the construction industry safer for everyone in Montana. He was instrumental in helping pass the Montana Safety Culture Act and in establishing a Group Rewards Insurance Program with the state’s workman’s compensation board. As a result, contractors who maintain safe sites get cash back from their workman’s comp provider each year. And to make sure his own crews stay safe, Pierce pays a quarterly “safety” bonus to each crew that maintains an accident-free site.

Each Contractor of the Year finalist is selected on the basis of company achievements, endorsements from customers and vendors and contributions the company has made to the construction industry. All finalists received a four-day trip to Las Vegas and attended the NASCAR Sprint Cup race courtesy of Caterpillar.

Pierce & Associates Builders specializes in custom homes, decks and patios, constructed on the steep slopes around Helena. Local Caterpillar dealer Tractor & Equipment joins Caterpillar and Equipment World in congratulating the company.

“Equipment World magazine is honored to recognize the integrity, hard work, and dedication of these exemplary men and women,” said Dan Tidwell, vice president, group publisher of Equipment World magazine. “This group of finalists represents the best of the construction industry. Their success is evidence of the perseverance, drive and strong values they embody.”

Now in its 10th year, the Contractor of the Year program is sponsored by Caterpillar, the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment; Safety.Cat.com, which offers an extensive offering of free industry-specific safety resources; and Equipment World magazine, the construction industry’s leading trade publication.